Report: Baltimore Police 'Afraid To Arrest Anyone' Out Of Fear Of Political BacklashIn 2017, Baltimore started the consent decree. Its goal was "to have a stronger police department that fights crime while it serves and protects the civil and constitutional rights of Baltimore City residents."
It required a series of internal reporting, documentation, and justification for all arrests and interactions with the public. But, a recent report shows that the city's goal is not being reached.
The Washington Post reports that an anonymous survey of 68 Baltimore police officers titled, "Feedback from the Field: A Summary of Focus Groups with Baltimore Police Officers" shows that law enforcement in the city feel low morale, confusion, and lack of support due to the new requirements. They feel the city's fear of media and political backlash is making their jobs more difficult.
"I don’t feel pride for having 20 uses of force,†one officer said while describing the "necessary techniques against an arrestee who tries to 'wiggle' out of handcuffs must be documented," according to WaPo.
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The report found that officers feel that as "the Department has been scrutinized by the media and community over the past several years, the command staff and the City have become more concerned with the Department’s image than supporting officers and boosting staff morale."
Because of this, it seems like city leaders are "ready to throw police officers under the bus to appease the media and don’t support us even when our actions are appropriate," according to one anonymous officer.
The city's reforms also require various internal discipline measures if its determined that a police officer used aggressive force. But, because the city can basically determine anything it wants as crossing a line, police officers even refuse to get out of their squad cars.
How any pol could not foresee this consequence ...
